Char siu, the Cantonese technique of roasting meats over fire, is the inspiration behind a new restaurant that just opened at 119 Essex St. The chef is Matt Rojas, who won praise at Rouge et Blanc in Soho and worked in the kitchens at Eleven Madison Park and Degustation.

According to a press release we received today, the menu is influenced by the flavors of Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Thai cuisine. Rojas comes from a Mexican American family in Arizona, but his mom made Chinese dishes when he was a kid, and Rojas has had a passion for Asian cooking ever since.